Calibrachoa plant named ‘Caltrablupu’

ABSTRACT

A new  Calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by its trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit, freely branching habit, freely flowering habit, single flowers that are very dark purple in color, and good garden performance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Calibrachoa hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘Caltrablupu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant botanically known as Calibrachoa hybrida and referred to by the cultivar name ‘Caltrablupu.’

The new Calibrachoa is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The new Calibrachoa cultivar is freely flowering with trailing and spreading plant habit and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by the inventor in July 2003 of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa hybrida identified as code number ‘Z4013’ not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with the Calibrachoa hybrida variety ‘Mini Famous Dark Blue,’ not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands in May 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since August 2004, in Enkhuizen, Netherlands has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Caltrablupu’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Caltrablupu.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Caltrablupu’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit     -   2. Freely branching habit     -   3. Freely flowering habit     -   4. Single flowers with dark purple flowers     -   5. Good garden performance

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have more growing power than         the plants of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have a more trailing habit         whereas the plants of the male parent are more upright.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘CALTRABLUPU’ AND A SIMILAR CULTIVAR ‘Cal Darblu’ (U.S. Plant ‘Caltrablupu’ Patent No. 14,552) Flower color Darker that N81A N87A Plant growth Less vigorous More vigorous

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The observations and measurements describe plants grown in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, practice circumstances outdoor in window boxes during the Summer with day temperatures ranging from 14 to 30° C., night temperatures ranging from 10 to 20° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 10 weeks from planting rooted cuttings.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   The plant: Classification — Botanical: Calibrachoa hybrida. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Calibrachoa hybrida             identified as code number ‘Z4013,’ not patented.         -   Male parent.—Calibrachoa hybrida variety ‘Mini Famous Dark             Blue’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer and Winter: About 12 days at             20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About 21 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 28 days at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially             upright, then trailing and outwardly spreading; uniformly             mounded plant form. Freely branching habit; about six to             eight basal branches each with about six to eight lateral             branches. Pinching enhances development of lateral branches.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio             containers, and landscape applications.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             8 cm.         -   Plant diameter (from soil level to lateral branches             apices).—About 55 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous; Rapid growth rate. -   The stem:     -   -   Main branches, length.—About 50 cm.         -   Main branches, diameter.—About 2.3 mm.         -   Lateral branches, length.—About 10 cm.         -   Lateral branches, diameter.—About 1 mm. -   Internodes:     -   -   Length.—2.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Strength.—Strong. Wiry.         -   Color.—144A with much anthocyanin N187A. -   The foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after             flowers develop; simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 3 cm.         -   Width.—About 0.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Aspect.—Mostly flat.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137B. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 137A, midvein 137B, lateral veins similar to             lamina. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B, midvein             137C, lateral veins similar to lamina. -   The inflorescence:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             face mostly upright or outward; axillary. Freely flowering             habit.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long             flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous during this period. Plants start             flowering about nine weeks after planting rooted cuttings.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days. -   Flower size:     -   -   Diameter.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Depth (height).—About 2.8 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Throat diameter, distal end.—About 7 mm.         -   Tube diameter, proximal end.—About 2 mm. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Length.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Color.—Towards the base: 154D. Mid-section: 153D. Towards             the apex: 79A. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement/Appearance.—Single whorl of five petals fused             into flared trumpet.         -   Length from throat.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly spatulate with a rounded apex.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous, satiny.         -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: N81A. When opening,             lower surface: N81C. Fully opened, upper surface: N81A.             Circumorbital ring: Darker than 79A. Venation, upper             surface: 83A. Fully opened, lower surface: N81C. Venation,             lower surface: 83B. Flower throat (inside): 7B. Venation,             throat: 83A. Flower tube (outside): 1C. Venation, tube: 83A. -   Sepals:     -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Single whorl of five sepals fused at             base, star-shaped.         -   Length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Color, upper and lower surfaces.—146A. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 mm.         -   Strength.—Flexible, wiry.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—144A with some anthocyanin N187A. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens, quantity per flower.—Five.         -   Anther shape.—Four-parted, ovate.         -   Anther length.—About 1.2 mm.         -   Anther diameter.—About 1.1 mm.         -   Filament length.—About 6 mm.         -   Filament color.—145C.         -   Anther color.—9C.         -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.         -   Pollen color.—9C.         -   Pistils, quantity per flower.—One.         -   Pistil length.—About 9 mm.         -   Stigma shape.—Ovate.         -   Stigma color.—144B.         -   Style length.—About 7 mm.         -   Style color.—145B with some anthocyanin N187A.         -   Ovary color.—150C. -   Seed development: Seed development has not been observed to date. -   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to     Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have     been noted to tolerate rain, and temperatures from 0 to 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 